According to the latest market research report by Technavio, the semiconductor chip handler market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 4% until 2020.
In this report, Technavio covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global semiconductor chip handler market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, we consider the revenue generated from the sales of automated test equipment and the contribution of chip handlers in the automated test equipment market.
“A large number of fabless semiconductor companies are increasing the net aggregate demand for semiconductor ICs, creating the demand for automated test equipment. An increase in test houses has resulted in a rising number of potential automated test equipment customers, boosting revenue sales of market vendors,” said Asif Gani, one of Technavio’s lead industry analysts for semiconductors.
Semiconductor chip handler market in APAC: largest region
The global chip handler market in APAC was valued at USD 469.8 million in 2015. Taiwan, South Korea, China, and Japan are the key countries contributing to the growth of this region. The presence of prominent semiconductor foundries, such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, United Microelectronics Corporation, and Semiconductor Manufacturing International, is creating the demand for chip handlers in APAC. The increase in the demand for consumer electronics and the rollout of LTE technology have led to an expansion of LTE base station infrastructure in China, increasing the demand for semiconductor ICs. These ICs need to be tested to avoid glitches and snags, thereby creating the demand for chip handlers.
The presence of prominent mobile and consumer electronic device manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, Fujitsu, and Panasonic in APAC is supporting the demand for semiconductor devices and thereby the demand for chip handlers in the region.
Semiconductor chip handler market in the US: second largest region
The global chip handler market in the US was valued at USD 104.4 million in 2015. The sports nutrition market in Europe is growing steadily. The increase in the demand for communication devices, such as smartphones and phablets, and automobile applications has been driving the production of semiconductor ICs in the US. The presence of few prominent semiconductor manufacturers, such as GlobalFoundries and Intel that fabricate wafers of sizes 200 nm and 300 nm, will create the demand for chip handlers in the nation.
Semiconductor chip handler market in Europe
The global chip handler market in Europe was valued at USD 43.96 million in 2015. Infineon Technologies, NXP Semiconductors, and STMicroelectronics are among the semiconductor manufacturing companies that account for the majority market share in this region. However, Europe will contribute low revenue to this market during the forecast period due to small concentrations of semiconductor IC manufacturers compared to APAC and the US. In addition, the Euro crisis in 2009 compelled many manufacturers to shift their semiconductor manufacturing facilities to APAC due to the availability of cheaper resources. This is likely to reduce the demand for chip handlers in the region during the forecast period.